Weighted vs. Unweighted GPA Calculation

A GPA (Grade Point Average) can be calculated in two ways: unweighted and weighted. Both methods reflect a student's academic performance, but they account for course difficulty differently.

Unweighted GPA:

• Scale: The unweighted GPA is typically measured on a 4.0 scale.

• Grade Points: Regardless of the difficulty of a course, an "A" equals 4.0, a "B" equals 3.0, and so on.

• No Adjustments for Course Level: In this system, all courses, whether they are regular, honors, or Advanced Placement (AP), are treated equally. For example, earning an "A" in a standard course and an "A" in an honors or AP course both contribute the same 4.0 grade points.

• Purpose: This method focuses purely on the grades a student receives without considering the difficulty level of the classes they are taking.

Weighted GPA:

• Scale: The weighted GPA is typically measured on a 5.0 scale (though some schools use other scales, like 6.0 or higher).

• Grade Points: Weighted GPAs give additional points for more challenging courses such as honors, AP, or IB (International Baccalaureate) classes. For example, an "A" in an honors or AP course may be worth 5.0 points instead of the typical 4.0.

  • Regular course "A" = 4.0

  • Honors course "A" = 4.5

  • AP/IB course "A" = 5.0

• Recognition of Course Difficulty: The weighted GPA system rewards students for taking more challenging classes by assigning higher point values to higher-level courses.

• Purpose: This method highlights not only the grades students earn but also the difficulty of the courses they are taking. It helps colleges and institutions assess how well students handle challenging academic work.

Comparison Example:

• Unweighted GPA: A student taking five classes, receiving all A’s, would have a GPA of 4.0, whether those classes are regular or honors/AP.

• Weighted GPA: If the same student is taking three regular classes (A = 4.0 each) and two AP classes (A = 5.0 each), their GPA would be higher, as the AP courses carry more weight. In this case: [(4.0 x 3) + (5.0 x 2)] ÷ 5 = 4.4 weighted GPA.

Which is Better?

Neither system is inherently better, but they serve different purposes. An unweighted GPA reflects a student's performance across all courses uniformly, while a weighted GPA gives additional recognition for challenging coursework. Colleges often look at both to get a fuller picture of a student's academic record.